The Delta Disaster

Part one

     The cool air blowing in my face, I am running on the bare road that would usually be packed with cars. A playlist of The Pillows is blasting in my ears as I head towards the Square. "What a nice cool day for winter. Surprisingly warm though for this area." I tell myself. I stop and catch my breath in front of the side entrance of the West Furniture Store that faces towards the Tech Store. As I turn my head I see an all too familiar black car pull up next to me. "Well if it isn't my two favorite outsiders, Jack and Parker! How have you been doing?" The two are dressed in almost the same attire as when we first met. Jack is in a different youtuber's merch and Parker is in a hoodie once again.

     Parker rolls Jack's window down. "We've been doing good! We heard that the iPhone 12 was released so why not come here?"

     "Well why come here? It was released months ago. Don't you two have an Apple Store where you are?"

     Parker gets out of the car and shakes my hand. "We did but it was robbed a while ago. Yours seems pretty intact and we might as well pop by and get some free hand sanitizer as well."

     "I'll get you some right away! Go ahead and go right into the store and grab a phone. I'll tell you what's been happening after." The three of us walk into the store and I get a small case of hand sanitizer for the two.

     "So, you're the only one left? Did your friends all get the virus?" Parker asks me as he looks at some phones.

     "Oh right, I'll tell you everything after you get your stuff. How about you tell me what you've been up to?"

     Jack picks up an Apple Watch and stuffs it in his pocket. "We've just been being cautious. Ever since the delta variant has been found, we've been laying low. Schools have shut down since there was a surge in winter. First we were just on winter break and then BOOM! We get two extra weeks off."

     "It hasn't been too bad yet," says Parker. "We've been predicting this for a little while now so people all around us and including us have stocked up on lots of stuff. Now we're just getting a little extra more." He grabs a red and a gold iPhone 12.

     We all head to the West Furniture Store and sit down on a couch to talk. After everyone has settled, Jack darts his eyes around. The West Furniture Store is no longer how we left it. There are no more pillow forts or mountains of toilet paper. The blankets are folded neatly on beds and there is no disarray in the place at all. The big thing missing are my friend's "weapons" in the large basket we kept them in. "Uh, why is this place so-

     "Neat? Well after people got their vaccinations, stores were fully opened and people went places. Not to say that wasn't happening before but now it was a bit safer. Of course there were still stupid people who didn't follow guidelines or got vaccinated but things were starting to get back to normal here. But then, the delta variant attacked *cOuGH coUGh* sorry I always get a dry throat in the winter; I mean it came and people got infected." Despite the fact I had a mask on and covered my mouth, Jack and Parker recoiled a bit. "Anyways, the store is the way it is since the adults are all home and like before are trusting us kids to get stuff for them. There have been no turf wars or battles since, well, everyone is being cautious. While the vaccine can help prevent COVID, it can't really for this new variant. It doesn't help that not only the adults are still prone to getting super ill, young adults are too. So the really young kids are super spreaders and the older kids are starting to become prone. It's just the teens I guess, and since this is my story that's the canon I'm going with."

     "You lost me on that last part kid." Parker states. "Well where are your friends?"

     I pause. "It's... a bit complicated. Well not really but... ok. School started back up how it usually does but there was an option to stay home and do school remotely or to go in person. I decided to opt for the remote option. My friends did the in person. Don't get me wrong, I liked the at home option but I couldn't really interact with people my age, especially my friends. Since I was at home and they were at school, the group changed. People drifted apart or joined different groups and of course I'm happy for them but I didn't get to make new friends or join groups. I still have some of the friends I had from last year but they changed and I didn't... The pandemic really fucked us all over. Young kids couldn't play with their friends or make connections with them, middle schoolers probably had a hard time with the transition, and don't get me started on the seniors! They had it the worst out of all of us. Their graduation was scuffed, or I should say broken or at least not what it should've been. They had to miss out on prom or as I like to call it, Hollywood's cash cow for movies." My eyes start to water but I shut myself up just in time. "I'm sorry for you both too." Parker and Jack break social distancing rules and hug me as a few tears start to hit the edges of my mask. "I'm sorry I'm just venting now. You don't want to hear that." I sniffle and then regain my composure. "But yeah the stores and everything are oddly quiet. You would think more kids would be running around wild and causing chaos."

     "Maybe they're coming at a late time?" Jack suggests.

     "That's... that's actually not a bad idea. Would you guys want to do a stakeout with me? I haven't heard anything from anyone I know for a while now and I don't feel comfortable doing one by myself." The two nod. "Well looks like we have plans for tonight then! I'll be right back after I drop off my groceries at home. Feel free to walk around and explore though! Just don't start another war." I walk out of the store and fast-walk onto the road. I put my earbuds in and play Shissou by Last Alliance. I pick up my pace and see the two start to get smaller in the distance.